It now looks as though it’s a done deal that Ralph Friedgen will be pushed out at Maryland to make room for Mike Leach as the Terrapins’ new football coach.

It’s a bad situation made even worse by the way it’s been mishandled by new athletic director Kevin Anderson.

While we wait for the details to be worked out and the official announcements to be made, there is one question that keeps coming to my mind. Would all of this be happening if the Champs Sports Bowl had taken Maryland instead of N.C. State?

We’ll never know, of course. But this much is indisputable:

Anderson wouldn’t have had nearly as much ammunition to dispatch the recently named ACC Coach of the Year if his team was playing in the league’s third-best postseason game instead falling all the way down to the Military Bowl in Washington D.C. — which ranks eighth in the ACC’s selection order.

I guess that explains why Friedgen was so vocal in his public politicking for a trip to Orlando. And why he’s been so outspoken in pushing tickets to the much-less attractive game his team is stuck having to play in.

Friedgen, who is in his 10th season at Maryland has one year remaining on his contract, was asked to either retire earlier this week after his offensive coordinator and designated replacement-in-waiting James Franklin left to take the head coaching job at Vanderbilt.

Anderson originally announced that Friegden would return for 2011 after leading the Terps to a six-win improvement from last year’s 2-10 disaster, but has now apparently changed his mind so that he can bring in Leach — the former Texas Tech coach.

It is still unclear whether Friedgen will be allowed to coach his team against East Carolina in the Dec. 29 Military Bowl, the seventh postseason game in 10 seasons with the Terps.

Yes, he was out anyway. Stop trying to stir up trouble. The bowl process worked within the rules. And as you have stated yourself, if Maryland had fan support that would warrant selection to the Champs bowl, then they would have been picked. But they don’t, and they weren’t, and the Fridge was gone no matter what. Most of the time that the university designates a successor to a coach while the coach is still coaching, the writing on the wall is pretty clear.

I would have thought Leach would want bigger and better than Maryland. Not much room for error…lose three games or more and your bowl will be at the bottom of the ACC pecking order. Lives in Florida now, going to a much colder climate. Byrd stadium rarely sells out, win a COY award and you might get shown the door…yikes. Can’t believe he doesn’t wait a year and see what opens up, especially in the SEC or other power conferences.

Ralph did a great job in his 10 years….but the future for a 63 year old coach, with declining attendance and fan base, made the decision easier for the new AD. Terps have been mediocre over last 7 years, with minor bowls and a record just a few games over .500.

Bring in a name coach who will energize the fans and sell tickets. If Terps hire Leach, and can keep Brown as “D” coordinator, future looks good for Terps.

Thanks Ralph for resurecting the program, and best of luck to him and his family.

[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ACC Football News. ACC Football News said: Would Friegen be out if Maryland had gone to the Champs Sports Bowl? http://bit.ly/hXQK0a I think we asked that question last night […]